Here are the 2022 candidates running for Bexar County’s local judicial seats. Based in Bexar County, the 4th Court of Appeals hears both civil and criminal cases from lower courts in 32 counties. The district courts are the state’s main trial courts, and county courts at law handle misdemeanors, civil matters involving $10,000 or less and other types of cases set out by statute.
To help inform voters about down-ballot judicial races, the San Antonio Report asked questions of the judicial candidates. To read those responses, click the “more about” link at the bottom of the candidate’s profile. Information about the candidates comes from Texas Secretary of State data, the candidates and other sources.
4th Court of Appeals
Place 6
McCray, age 61, received his law degree from St. Mary's University and has practiced criminal law, including appellate work, for more than 30 years in state and federal court. He also has served as a lead prosecutor in two Texas district attorney offices.
Republican Party
Irene Alarcon Rios
Rios is seeking her second six-year term on the court. A graduate of St. Mary's University School of Law, she previously presided over Bexar County's Court at Law No. 10 for 14 years.
Democratic Party
Incumbent
Place 7
Lori I. Valenzuela
Valenzuela is currently the court's lone Republican, appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2021 and reelected in 2022. She received her law degree from St. Mary's University and presided over a criminal district court in Bexar County.
Republican Party
Incumbent
Rebecca “Beckie” Palomo
A graduate of St. Mary's University School of Law, she has served as judge of the 341st District Court in Webb County since 2013.
Democratic Party
Challenger
State District Courts
45th District
A senior associate with the Beal Law Firm, Jay has practiced law for 16 years in the areas of family law, criminal defense and civil litigation. A graduate of St. Mary's University School of Law, she has handled cases across the state, including Bexar and surrounding counties, Dallas County, Tarrant County, El Paso County, Travis County and Webb County.
Republican Party
Challenger
A graduate of Seton Hall University School of Law, Alvarez was elected to the 45th District Court in 2018. Before being elected she worked in private practice in the area of product liability and as a staff attorney at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.
Democratic Party
Incumbent
144th District
Rummel has practiced criminal law for approximately 30 years and worked as a prosecutor for more than 20 years. A graduate of Baylor University's law school, she was elected to preside over the 144th District Court in 2014 but lost her bid for reelection in 2018.
Republican Party
Challenger
A San Antonio native and graduate of the University of Texas law school, Mery has practiced law since 1982 and served as a judge since 1999, presiding over Bexar County Court of Law No. 12 and the 37th District Court before winning a 2020 special election for the 144th District Court.
Democratic Party
Incumbent
150th District
A graduate of Texas Tech University's school of law, Bradney has practiced law for 16 years with an emphasis in child support, custody and child abuse and neglect cases.
Republican Party
Challenger
A San Antonio native, Diaz is seeking her second term as judge of the 150th District Court, practicing law for eight years before sitting on the bench. Last year she began presiding over Child Protective Services specialty courts that include the Family Drug Court and the Early Childhood Intervention Court.
Democratic Party
Incumbent
186th District
Austin served as judge in the 289th District Court but lost her bid for reelection in 2018. A graduate of St. Mary's University School of Law, she previously served as a Juvenile Law Referee for the 436th District Court and an assistant district attorney for Bexar County.
Republican Party
Challenger
A San Antonio native, Escalona has practiced criminal law for nearly 17 years, working as a criminal defense attorney and a currently as prosecutor in the Bexar County district attorney's office. She is a graduate of St. Mary's University School of Law.
Democratic Party
Challenger
187th District
Walden Shelton
Shelton previously presided over Bexar County Court at Law No. 9. A graduate of Texas Wesleyan University's school of law, he also ran for the 399th District Court in 2020 and has worked throughout Texas as a visiting judge.
Republican Party
Challenger
Boyd is seeking her second term as judge of the 187th District Court, where she became the court's first African American judge when she was elected in 2018. A graduate of St. Mary's University School of Law, she has practiced law for 25 years, both in her own practice and as a prosecutor in the Bexar County District Attorney's office.
Democratic Party
Incumbent
224th District
Stryker is seeking her fourth term as judge of the 224th District Court. A graduate of Villanova University's school of law, she was a partner at Ball & Weed and McClenahan, Anderson & Stryker.
Republican Party
Incumbent
An attorney at Begum Pelaez Prada, Flores has practiced law for 15 years in state and federal court, specializing in civil litigation. A graduate of the University of Oregon's law school, she also had her own law practice and worked as director of legal services at Family Violence Prevention Services.
Democratic Party
Challenger
225th District
Yanta is seeking the seat previously held by Judge Peter Sakai before he stepped down to run for Bexar County judge. A graduate of St. Mary's University School of Law, she was elected to preside over the 150th District Court in 2014, losing her bid for reelection in 2018. She was appointed to the 73rd District Court in 2010.
Republican Party
Challenger
Hortick is seeking the seat previously held by Judge Peter Sakai before he stepped down to run for Bexar County judge. Her 16 years of practice has included civil and criminal law, with experience in the area of family law. A graduate of St. Mary's University School of Law, Hortick ran for the Precinct 3 county commissioner seat in 2020.
Democratic Party
Challenger
226th District
Velia J. Meza
Meza defeated incumbent Judge Beth Watkins in the Democratic primary and is now running unopposed in November. She currently presides over a criminal district court in Bexar County.
Democrat
227th District
Kevin M. O’Connell
O'Connell is seeking his third term as judge of the 227th District Court. A graduate of St. Mary's University School of Law, he previously worked in the Bexar County District Attorney's office.
Republican Party
Incumbent
Del Prado worked in the Bexar County District Attorney's office, then opened a criminal law practice. A graduated of St. Mary's University School of Law, she returned to the district attorney's office in 2019 and now serves as the chief of the Public Integrity and Cyber Crime division.
Democratic Party
Challenger
285th District
Thompson has practiced law in Bexar County for 13 years. A graduate of St. Mary's University School of Law, he has his own family law practice.
Republican Party
Challenger
Nieto has more than two decades of experience practicing law in local civil district courts. A graduate of the Thurgood Marshall School of Law, she has a private law practice that handles personal injury and other cases.
Democratic Party
Challenger
288th District
Rossi has practiced law for more than 40 years in the areas of family law and probate litigation. He previously ran for a seat on the Bexar County Probate Court No. 2 in 2018 and Bexar County Court at Law No. 3 in 2014.
Republican Party
Challenger
Chapa, age 44, received her law degree from St. Mary's University and currently presides over a criminal district court in Bexar County. She practiced law in the areas of criminal, personal injury, real estate, business law, civil litigation and family law.
Democratic Party
289th District
Rose Sosa
Sosa defeated the incumbent, Judge Carlos Quezada, in the March 2022 primary and does not have an opponent in the November general election. A graduate of St. Mary's University School of Law, she has worked as a prosecutor in the Bexar County District Attorney's office.
Democratic Party
Challenger
290th District
Jennifer Peña
Peña does not have an opponent in 2022 and will be reelected to her second term as judge of the 290th District Court. A graduate of St. Mary's University School of Law, she served as a prosecutor in Cameron and Bexar counties.
Democratic Party
Incumbent
436th District
William “Cruz” Shaw III
Shaw does not have an opponent for the open 436th District Court seat. A graduate of Texas Southern University's school of law, he is a former San Antonio City Council member who resigned his seat in 2018 to become an associate judge.
Democratic Party
Challenger
437th District
Skinner is seeking election as judge of the 437th District Court after being appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott last year. She also has been the presiding judge of the 290th and the 144th District Courts. After beginning her career as a criminal defense attorney, she worked as an assistant district attorney in Bexar County and Uvalde for 18 years.
Texas 437th District Court
Republican Party
Incumbent
Joel Perez
Perez has practiced law for more than 30 years, working as a defense attorney and a prosecutor in the Bexar County District Attorney's office. A graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, he has tried 15 death penalty cases, according to his campaign website.
Texas 437th District Court
Democratic Party
Challenger
Bexar County Courts at Law
No. 1
Behrens served as judge for County Court at Law No. 15 for three years. Licensed to practice law for 28 years, Behrens also has a master’s degree in public affairs.
Republican Party
Challenger
Stowe is seeking her second term as judge of Court at Law No. 1. She previously worked as an assistant district attorney, prosecuting felonies.
Democratic Party
Incumbent
No. 2
Wolff, currently a first chair felony prosecutor in the 227th District Court, served as judge for County Court at Law No. 2 from 2010 to 2018. He has been practicing law for 18 years and has presided over civil matters as well as criminal.
Republican Party
Challenger
Saenz has been practicing law for almost 12 years, mostly as a prosecutor with the Bexar County District Attorney’s office. She began her career as a defense attorney. As a first chair felony prosecutor, Saenz handles violent crime cases and supervises other attorneys.
Democratic Party
Challenger
No. 3
David J. Rodriguez
Rodriguez has served as judge for County Court at Law No. 3 since 2003, and is running unopposed this election.
Democratic Party
Incumbent
No. 4
Garrahan served as judge for County Court at Law No. 4 from 2015 to 2018, before being ousted by the current incumbent. He worked as a criminal assistant district attorney from from 2005 to 2014.
Republican Party
Challenger
Alfredo Ximenez
Ximenez is seeking his second term as judge for County Court at Law No. 4. Practicing law since 2003, Ximenez specialized in criminal law.
Democratic Party
Incumbent
No. 5
Arevalos is running unopposed for County Court at Law No. 5 after beating the incumbent in the Democratic primary and has been practicing law for nine years. She has been a prosecutor in the Bexar County District Attorney’s office since 2015.
Democratic Party
Challenger
No. 6
Brandon Jackson
Jackson has worked for the Bexar County District Attorney’s office since 2009, after graduating from St. Mary’s University School of Law.
Republican Party
Challenger
Dominguez has practiced law for eight years, mostly in criminal defense. She began working for the Bexar County Public Defender’s office in 2015. Prior to becoming an attorney, Dominguez served in the Air Force for eight years.
Democratic Party
Challenger
No. 7
LaHood has been practicing law since 2012, mainly criminal law as a solo practitioner. He is not related to former Bexar County District Attorney Nico LaHood or current DA candidate Michael LaHood.
Republican Party
Challenger
Melanie Lira
Lira works as an immigration attorney for the Trevino Law firm and for her own firm, Lira Cazares Defense. She graduated from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 2015.
Democratic Party
Challenger
No. 8
Foster spent more than a decade with the Bexar County District Attorney’s office as a felony prosecutor, including in the white-collar crime division. Since leaving in 2012 she has been a partner at Foster & Foster.
Republican Party
Challenger
Roman is seeking her second term as judge for County Court at Law No. 8. She previously served as judge of the 175th District Court from 1993 to 2016.
Democratic Party
Incumbent
No. 9
Gloria Saldaña
Incumbent Saldana is running unopposed to retain her seat as County Court at Law No. 9 judge. She previously served as judge of the 438th District Court (2012-2016) and the 224th District Court (2010-2016).
Bexar County Court at Law No. 9
Democratic Party
Incumbent
No. 10
Jamie Mathis
Mathis left the Bexar County District Attorney’s office, where she worked as a criminal assistant district attorney and staff attorney for Probate Court 1 to open her own law office in 2019.
Republican Party
Challenger
Cesar Garcia
Garcia graduated from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 2006 and works in private practice. He beat the incumbent County Court at Law No. 10 judge in the March 2022 Democratic primary.
Democratic Party
Challenger
No. 11
Stolhandske is seeking his third term as judge for County Court at Law No. 11. He also serves as judge of the specialty Treatment Recovery and Accountability Court. Stolhandkske is chair of the Curriculum Committee for the Texas Center for the Judiciary.
Republican Party
Incumbent
Pena serves as staff attorney for the Office of Court Administration with the Bexar County Criminal District Courts. An attorney for almost 10 years, she previously worked as an assistant district attorney.
Democratic Party
Challenger
No. 12
Suzanne Kramer
Kramer has been licensed to practice law since 1988. The State Bar of Texas website lists no firm for Kramer, and notes she has been sanctioned twice, in 2012 and 2013.
Republican Party
Challenger
Yolanda Huff
Huff is seeking her second term as judge for County Court at Law No. 12. She has worked as a sole practitioner since graduating from law school in 1996, specializing in Child Protective Services cases, juvenile and family law.
Democratic Party
Incumbent
No. 13
Charles Gold
Gold is a criminal defense attorney who graduated from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 2003. He is a U.S. Army and National Guard veteran. Gold spent 2 1/2 years at the Bexar County District Attorney’s office before starting his own firm in 2006.
Bexar County Court at Law No. 13
Republican Party
Challenger
Gonzalez is seeking her second term as judge for County Court at Law No. 13. Licensed since 2002, her practice focused on child welfare and family law. Gonzalez’ s career before law school included working as a child abuse investigator, probation officer, gang counselor and high school teacher.
Bexar County Court at Law No. 13
Democratic Party
Incumbent
No. 14
Skinner served one term as judge of the County Court at Law No. 14 from 2014 to 2018. She has practiced law for 30 years, 15 of those with the Bexar County District Attorney’s office as a first-chair prosecutor. She spend seven years as a defense attorney.
Bexar County Court at Law No. 14
Republican Party
Challenger
Carlo Rodriguez Key
Key is seeking his second term as judge of Court at Law No. 14. He previously served as judge of Court at Law No. 11. A graduate of Baylor University's law school, he worked as an assistant district attorney and as an attorney in private practice.
Bexar County Court at Law No. 14
Democratic Party
Incumbent
No. 15
Robert “RC” Pate
Pate is a criminal defense attorney focused on DWI cases, going by the nickname “the DWI guru” on his website. He made an unsuccessful bid for judge in County Court at Law No. 14 in 2014.
Republican Party
Challenger
Vara is seeking her second term as judge of County Court at Law No. 15. Licensed to practice law since 2012, Vara practiced criminal law, family law, estate planning, tax, and other civil law matters in private practice.
Democratic Party
Incumbent
Probate Courts
Probate Court 1
Oscar Kazen
Kazen was elected to the probate court, which handles wills and guardianship cases, in 2018 and does not have an opponent in the 2022 election. He has more than 20 years judicial experience in criminal and civil cases. He previously served as judge of County Court at Law No. 9.
Democratic Party
Incumbent
Probate Court 2
Veronica Vasquez
Vasquez was elected to the probate court, which handles wills and guardianship cases for elderly and disabled people, in 2018 and does not have an opponent in the 2022 election.
Democratic Party
Incumbent
Justices of the Peace Courts
Precinct 1, Place 1
Sylvia Ruiz
Sylvia Ruiz does not have an opponent in the 2022 election and will be elected Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace in Place 1.
Democratic Party
Challenger
Precinct 3, Place 1
Julie Bray Patterson
Patterson works as an attorney in the Bexar County Court administration office and has practiced criminal and civil law. A graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, she also was an Assistant District Attorney in Dallas County.
Republican Party
Challenger
Paul Talamantez Jr.
Talamantez is a former judge and attorney who has been practicing law for more than 25 years.
Democratic Party
Challenger
Precinct 4, Place 1
Michele Garcia
Michele Garcia does not have an opponent in the 2022 election and will be elected Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace in Place 1.
Democratic Party
Challenger
